Quote:
Originally Posted by ClendonRoss
I'm not a member of ZNA but I do live in the area and I think the idea is that another residential VMU like across the street would be fine for the property. The currently zoned height fits the area. I don't think there is anything else either along Lamar or to the west on Barton Springs that is taller than the current zoning.
P.S. I understand why the developer wants to go taller. The lot is smaller than what the Cole VMU sits on. I just think a residential VMU is indeed a better fit for the neighborhood than a taller office building. Plus, I think the need for core residential outweighs the need for office, at least in this particular spot.
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But here is the thing, the neighborhood doesn't own the land. A developer has acquired it who builds office and if the market wants office space, than there is demand (I think we're up to 3-4 office buildings either being built or about to break ground on Lamar). It's a major thoroughfare that is bringing in office space because there is demand.
It's not the neighborhoods job to dictate "what best fits an area". Until we give up on capitalism the market will make determinations as to what fits where, and if you actually want more affordable housing the only way to get there is to allow MORE housing in the area. Supply and Demand is how pricing works, and while subsidized units make sense to support lower-income Austinites most of the people talking about affordable housing are middle-income, and unless we want some government dictate on housing prices that would crush developer interest, the only way to lower the price of housing is to increase density in the core of the city, which means people like ZNA need to stop with the "f you, got mine" protectionist attitude because they don't want more people living near them over some nebulous desire to control the "character" of anything within a 5 mile radius of their house.
And office is great for density as it drives 24/7 occupancy of certain parts of town which has knock on benefits for restaurants and shops that will see higher daytime traffic than you would from residential.
We can fight over the height increase or not (and it may in fact be a canard to "give up" when ZNA pushes back), but the reality is ZNA would be pushing back against residential VMU as the current height limit as well. They fight *everything* going up on Lamar and it's getting old. A neighborhood association working with developers could actually work to benefit the neighborhood with smart developments, smart entry and access, improvements to traffic flow and ensuring that the neighborhood is brought into the conversations around buildings (hey, maybe your exit should be here, maybe we should get a traffic light, a nicer sidewalk would be good, maybe make that green space a public park, etc.) instead we get a bunch of frothing mouth breathers screaming about anything being built being terrible for the neighborhood. I can't think of a single development along Lamar that the stupid ZNA monthly news letter hasn't bitched about.
We are a city of nearly 2MM people, just because you own a house near the urban core does not mean that you get to control what happens on a thoroughfare through the area.
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